Eyeglasses and the like



June 11, 1935. -1, MEYER 2,004,445

EYEGLASSES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 4, 1934 //v I/E/V rake Patented June 11 1935 p p UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE EYEGLASSES AND THE LIKE Peter H. Meyer, Buffalo, Application August 4, 1934, Serial No. 788,551

Claims. (01. 88 -45) This invention relates to eyeglasses or spectaofthe resilient middle portion, and which fit and cles and more particularly to improvements in bear against the upper, outer edge portions of eyeglasses of the type which are provided with i the lenses, are relatively rigid or stiff so as not to a bridge member or lens mounting which conflex when the resilient middle portion of the 5 nects the lenses and furnishes the spring presbridge member is flexed in applying and remov- 5 sure for retaining the eyeglasses in place on the ing the glasses. r

nose of the wearer. As shown, the bridge member is made ina One object of my invention is to improve eyesingle, integral piece with a resilient middle porglasses so as to make them "ofsmart, attractive tion 54 which is relatively thin vertically and 10 appearance, and at the same time insure the adapted to flex, while the opposite end portions 10 maintenance of the lenses in correct optical posil5 are of greater vertical depth so as to be relation. y tively stiff or rigid and not adapted to readily Other objects of the invention are to produce flex vertically, and these stifl; end portions are a resilient bridge member or lens mounting for joined to the resilient middle portion by the taeyeglasses which is of simple, desirable and durapered portions l6, which taper or merge from the ble construction and efiects the'above mentioned relatively thin, resilient portion to the stiff or advantages; and also to provide eyeglasses having rigid portions [5. The stiff end portions l5 are the features of improvement and advantage shaped to conform to and bear against the uphereinafter described and set forth in the claims. per, outer edge portions of the lenses substan- In the accompanying drawing: tially throughout the length of these stifi por- 20 Fig. 1 is a front elevation, on an enlarged scale, tions l5, and are attached to the lenses, preferably of a pair of eyeglasses embodying the invention. by bifurcated attachingportions I! which extend Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bridge member or inwardly from the extremities of the bridge. memlens mounting. a her and straddlethe adjacent temporal portions I0 represents the lenses of the eyeglasses, II the of the lenses to which they are secured, as by 25 bridge member or mounting which is attached to screws or fastenings passing through perforaand connects the lenses, and i2 the nose pieces tions in the lenses. The stiff portions it: of the or fittings attached to the inner or nasal edges bridge member contact with the edges of the of the lenses and adapted to grip thenose for relenses from their outer extremities at the outer,

taining the glasses in placeon the wearer. The upper portions of the lenses approximately to 30 invention is not concerned with the construction the highest points of the edges of the lenses, and of the nose pieces or fittings, and these may be since these portions if of the bridge member are of usual or suitable form and construction, the relatively rigid and stationarily secured to the nose fittings shown being of known type comlenses by the fastenings l8,this bearing or conprising nose pads l3 adapted to bear on thenose tact of the stifi portions of the bridge against the 35 and attached to the lenses bythe usual straps edges of the lenses is substantially maintained which straddle the adjacent marginal portions in the use of the eyeglasses, and the flexing of of the lenses and are secured thereto by screws or the bridge member occurs substantially wholly in fastenings passing through the lenses. theresilient middle portion M thereof. By mak- The bridge member or mounting l I is attached ing the thick,,stiff portions it of such length that 40 at its opposite end portions to the lenses at the they do not project inwardly substantially beyond outer or temporal portions thereof, extends about their points of contact with ,thecrests of the the upper, outer edge portions of the lenses and upper edges of the lenses, the leverage is reduced bridges the space between the lenses, the bridge and there is less tendency for these stiff portions member being relatively flat or bowed upwardly tobe lifted out of contact with the lens edges in 45 but slightly, and extending substantially tangenthe use of the glasses, and therefore, the lenses tially from the top central or highest portions of are better retained in their correct optical posithe upper edges of the lenses tions. The stiff portions l5 preferably are not The bridge member is made so that the middle wider than the width of the edges of the lenses.

or intermediate portion thereof is resilient or Preferably, the lenses are of the shape com- 50 elastic, adapting the same to spring or flex, and monly used at the present time, having the upper to provide the spring pressure which causes the portions thereof broader than the lower portions, nose pieces to grip the nose to retain the glasses and the upper edge portions of a flatter curvature in place on the wearer, while the end portions of than the lower edge portions, and the bridge 5 the bridge member, or portions at opposite ends member is shaped so that its still end portions conform with the curvature of the outer, upper edge portions of the lenses, and the bridge extends substantially tangentially from the crests of the edge portions of the lenses so that the bridge member curves or arches upwardly but slightly from its points of juncture with the lenses. This formation of the lenses and bridge member or mounting produces a smarter and more attractive appearance, and more stable connection of the lenses by the bridge member than would be obtained with circular lenses in eyeglasses in which the bridge member is attached at corresponding positions to the lenses.

I claim as my invention:

1. Eyeglasses comprising a pair of lenses, and a single-piece, combined bridge and frame member connecting the lenses, said member having a resilient middle spring portion and stiffer substantially rigid end portions which conform in shape to and extend about and bear against the upper outer peripheral edge portions of the lenses, and means for attaching said substantially rigid portions to the outer portions of the lenses.

2. Eyeglasses comprising a pair of lenses, and a bridge member connecting the lenses, said bridge member having a vertically thin resilient middle spring portion adapted to flex vertically and vertically thicker and stiffer end portions which are relatively rigid and extend about and conform in shape to the upper outer peripheral edge portions of the lenses and are fastened to the outer portions of the lenses.

3. Eyeglasses comprising a pair of lenses, and

a bridge member connecting the lenses, said bridge member having a resilient approximately straight middle spring portion which is slightly bowed upwardly approximately tangential to the top central edge portions of the lenses and substantially rigid end portions which extend about and conform in shape to the upper outer peripheral edge portions of the lenses and are attached to the lenses at their temporal side portions.

4. In a device of the character described, a bridge member for connecting the lenses of an ophthalmic mounting, said member having a vertically thin resilient central spring portion which tapers outwardly towards its ends to vertically thicker relatively rigid portions which are shaped respectively to the upper and outer peripheral edge portions of the lenses, said relatively rigid portions having means adjacent their free ends for securing the said portions to the temporal sides of the lenses.

5. In a device of the character described, a single-piece integral combined frame and bridge member for connectingthe lenses of an ophthalmic mounting, said member having a nearly flat resilient central portion which bows upwardly slightly and tapers outwardly towards its ends to vertically thicker relatively rigid portions which are shaped respectively to the upper and outer peripheral edge portions of the lenses, and lens strap means adjacent the outer ends of the relatively rigid portions for securing them to the temporal sides of the lenses.

PETER H. MEYER. 

